Medical devices are often used as diagnostic devices and/or therapeutic devices in diagnosing and/or treating medical conditions of patients. For example, a blood glucose meter is used as a diagnostic device to measure blood glucose levels of patients suffering from diabetes. Blood glucose meters use a test strip that receives a blood sample of the patient. The test strip has electrical contacts on the strip that are electrically contacted when the test strip is inserted into the meter. The meter determines a blood glucose level by measuring currents passed through the electrical contacts of the strip, and provides for readout of the glucose level.
Known meters receive the test strip in an insertion direction that also engages the electrical strip conductors of the test strip with the electrical contacts of the meter. As the test strip is loaded by the user, the insertion motion is used to drive the electrical contacts of the test strip into engagement with the contacts of the meter. The strip ejection system permits ejection of the dosed test strip following testing without further contact of the test strip by the user. Any interference with or sliding contact of the electrical contacts of the test strip during insertion, however, can damage the electrical contacts or misalign one or more of the contacts. A force applied to eject the test strip of known strip ejection systems can also cause racking or rotation of the test strip which can bind the test strip or interfere with ejection.
For example, the measurement device of U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2010/0012530 to Watanabe et al. includes a pushing member having projection part that is slidably guided within a pushing member cover. Clearance between the projection part and pushing member therefore limits the control available to reduce deflection of pushing member during its travel to displace a sensor. In addition, pushing member includes a single substantially centrally positioned projection part guided in a notch. Control of racking of the pushing member during travel is limited by the tolerances between the projection part and pushing member cover, and between the projection part and notch. A braking system having a first braking part in contact with a side wall of the sensor is provided to slow down the exit speed of the sensor. This system does not preclude racking of either the pushing member or the sensor, has only the single projection part to contact and drive the sensor which can therefore be off-center of the sensor, and adds the complexity of a braking system to limit ejection velocity.
European Patent Application EP 1321769 to Pugh appears to disclose a test strip dispensing system having strip push members guided between rails. Rails of this design are positioned external to the strip push members. The strip push members include outer wall areas such as ledges acting as guides. The ledges, however, are positioned within the rails; therefore, continuous positive contact between the strip push members and the rails to limit racking is not provided and racking can occur due to a tolerance between the components. The design of strip push members and rails also precludes installation in a direction perpendicular to the push member travel direction.
The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.